Thursday, June 04, 2009

Assimilated Pronunciation

So, are we supposed to use the Spanish pronunciation, so-toe-my-OR, or the natural English pronunciation, SO-tuh-my-er, like Niedermeyer? The president pronounced it both ways, first in Spanish, then after several uses, lapsing into English. Though in the best "Pockiston" tradition, he also rolled his r's in Puerto Rico.

He's got a point. There is something unamerican about those pronunciations. The country is Pakistan, not Pockyston. I don't know what Sotomayor's problem is, but I guess we will soon find out.